Opened in 1977 as the Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre by Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, the restaurant was intended to offer a friendly and fun environment for the whole family and a place where “a kid could be a kid”.

Citing a mix of “alcohol, loud noise, thick crowds and the high emotions of children's birthday parties,” however, police have seen an uptick in violent incidents at the national family chain.

"The biggest problem is you have a bunch of adults acting like juveniles," Town of Brookfield, Wis. Police Capt. Timothy Imler told The Wall Street Journal. "There's a biker bar down the street, and we rarely get calls there."

For his part, Chuck E. Cheese founder Nolan Bushnell appears to have moved on to projects more clearly targeted to adults, including the uWink Media Bistro in California. Using touch screen technology, guests can order their food and drinks while playing games against other guests.

Parental violence at children’s events has long been seen as a problem in youth sports, prompting the creation of a PSA in May of this year, which condemned parents for being overcritical of young players or occasionally violent in their reaction to the game. However, some were skeptical of the ad’s effectiveness.

“This spot is a game effort, but boorishness is not an affliction much sensitive to consciousness raising,” writes Bob Garfield of Advertising Age.

Incidents beyond the playing field have proven that the aforementioned “mama bear instinct” can have far-reaching and potentially dangerous consequences.

In September, a Norristown, Pennsylvania mother was found guilty of helping her 14-year-old son accumulate an arsenal of weapons to use against classmates in response to bullying about the boy’s weight.